Category: Fruit

Apple and Pear Crumble

Golden autumn fruits combine wonderfully in this popular family pudding.

Serves: 4-6; Prep: 25 mins; Cook: 35-40 mins baking

Ingredients: 500g (1 lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped; 500g (1 lb) firm pears, peeled, cored and chopped; 2-3 tbsp granulated sugar
Topping: 175g (6oz) plain flour; 75g (3oz) butter or block margarine, diced; 40g (1 1/2oz) caster sugar

  • Preheat oven to 200oC/400oF/Gas 6.
  • Put the apples into a heavy based saucepan. Add 125ml (4 fl oz) water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over gentle heat for 5 mins.
  • Drain the apples and add to the pears and sugar. Mix well with a large wooden spoon and turn into a 23cm (9in) ceramic flan dish.
  • For the crumble topping, sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the butter or margarine and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar.
  • Spoon the crumble evenly over the apples and pears. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crumble is golden and the fruit is cooked. Serve hot, with custard or cream.

Cooks tip: There are several variations to try with the same crumble topping. A lovely summer recipe is to use 250g (9oz) of strawberries and 4 firm peaches. Slice up the two fruits and mix with 4 tbsp granulated sugar. Put straight into the flan dish and spoon the crumble mixture on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

A book with more crumble recipes and a dish to bake it in.

And something for the chef to wear.

Roast Plums with Whole Spices

Serves 6

Amaretto is a delicious almond-flavoured liqueur from Italy which is available from good off-licences and large supermarkets. The almond flavour goes very well with plums, but you could substitute brandy or a fruit-flavoured liqueur.

Ingredients: 50g (1 ¾ oz) unsalted butter; 700g (1 lb 9oz) large plums, halved and stoned; 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar; 4 tbsp amaretto; 2 cinnamon sticks, halved; 1 vanilla pod, split twice lengthways, then cut across in half (to make 8 bits)

  • Preheat the oven to 200oC/400oF/Gas Mark 6 and use about a quarter of the butter to grease a shallow ovenproof dish or roasting tin.
  • Arrange the plum halves in one snug layer, cut side up, sprinkle with the sugar and amaretto, and tuck the spices in between the plums. Cut the remaining butter into small slivers, scatter over the top and bake for 35-40 mins, until hot and bubbling.
  • Serve just as it is or with cream, custard or vanilla ice-cream.